n Child Abuse Research in South Africa - Ethics and the expert : some suggestions for South Africa

Abstract

Despite the growth of the area in which expert evidence can be used in litigation, little attention has been given to the ethical obligations of professionals in forensic practice which should govern forensic experts, conduct with each other, with their clients and patients, with other professionals, and vis-à-vis the court. After indicating the pitfalls of the current situation, the author argues in favour of a Code of Ethics for forensic experts and proposes ethical guidelines that should be contained in such a Code.